He's the second quarterback with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in a postseason, joining Hall of Famer Joe Montana of the 1989 49ers.

"Joe is my all-time favorite quarterback," Flacco said. "To be put next to him is pretty cool."

Cooler is Flacco's decision before the season to put off contract talks. He is now a free agent and probably will command $20 million a year.

From Baltimore, of course.

"I'm a Raven for life. That's the way I see it," he said.

And that's how Baltimore fans will see it, too, after Flacco beat Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Colin Kaepernick in the playoffs – with the Ravens underdogs in the last three games.

"I'm a Joe Flacco fan. I've been a Joe Flacco fan," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "To do what he did today, that's what we always see."

The Ravens jumped to a 28-6 lead and survived a blackout and sudden 49ers comeback when the lights returned. Flacco made big throws to Anquan Boldin down the stretch to get the two field goals that Baltimore would need for the narrow win.

Though Lewis said he has always been in Flacco's corner, the quarterback admitted to thinking the worst when the 49ers had three shots from the 5-yard line in the final two minutes.